


you between me and the feeling

by orphan_account



Series: throw me a rope [2]
Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Dom/sub, Kneeling, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-15
Updated: 2014-06-15
Packaged: 2018-02-04 19:31:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,059
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1790599
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Eren holds his hands behind his back. Levi was shocked the first time they did this. He remembers how odd it seemed for Eren to be so quiet, so self-restrained. It wasn’t easy to get Eren to a quiet place during those first weeks.</p>
            </blockquote>





	you between me and the feeling

**Author's Note:**

> Written for [this prompt](http://snkkink.dreamwidth.org/8414.html?thread=7396318) on the snkkinkmeme.
> 
>  **Disclaimer:** This work is based on the characters as portrayed in Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan. No copyright infringement is intended, and, obviously, I’m not making any money from this. Title from “Throw Me a Rope” by KT Tunstall.

The mission goes south from the very start. They don't stand a chance and the losses they sustain are higher than usual. They barely make it back to their quarters.

From the corner of his eye, Levi sees Eren banging his fist on a wall, angry tears staining his cheeks. He isn't alone in the raw display of emotions. It was a bad mission, even by their standards. 

But Eren is clearly taking it the hardest, and Levi isn't surprised. That hothead of his is gonna get the boy killed one of these days. He follows Eren with his eyes, watches him push Misaka away, watches him tell everyone he wants to be alone. And maybe it's the strain of the mission or the weight of the dead on his shoulders, but Levi lets him go, turns on his heels to head to his room. 

He restocks on his way, makes sure to be ready in case of an emergency. Always ready, that's what the Corps have taught him. Levi puts down his armor, lays it so that he can pick up quickly. He takes the uniform off next, folds the clothes, leaves his boots beside them. He takes off the sweaty socks and changes into clean shirt and pants. Then he flops on his bed and lies staring at the ceiling, trying not to remember. 

These nights are the hardest. 

He doesn't remember drifting off but a knock on the door wakes him again. It's still dark outside but Levi has his armor in hand when he opens the door.

Eren stands there, shifting his weight. 

“Did something happen?” Levi asks.

Eren shakes his head. He doesn't look at Levi, instead, his eyes are trained on the floor. 

“You were asleep,” Eren says to his feet. “I’m sorry, I should—”

“Come inside,” Levi says, because he knows Eren well enough to know what this is about. He shouldn't have let him go by himself in the first place. To Eren, he says, “Take off your shoes and socks, leave them beside mine. You can take off jacket, too, if you want, but remember to fold it.”

Eren nods, does as he's told. He's still looking at the floor. 

Levi cups Eren chin, tilts it so Eren is facing him but Eren's eyes avoid him.

“Look at me,” Levi orders.

He has to wait but eventually, Eren takes a deep breath before turning his eyes to Levi's. 

“Good boy,” Levi says, soft. “Why are you here?”

“I…” Eren starts, he’s blushing slightly. He swallows and closes his eyes so Levi nudges his chin. Eren opens them again. Then, “Can we just…”

“You know the rules,” Levi reminds him. “What do you need?”

“To kneel,” Eren whispers. 

Levi drops his hand to take Eren’s wrist and lead them to the foot of the bed. He sits and waits for Eren to drop to the floor. 

“Do you want something for your knees?” Levi asks next.

“No,” Eren replies, going down slowly.

Eren holds his hands behind his back. Levi was shocked the first time they did this. He remembers how odd it seemed for Eren to be so quiet, so self-restrained. It wasn’t easy to get Eren to a quiet place during those first weeks. It still isn’t easy to get Eren to calm down on the battlefield. But here, in the privacy of these four walls, Eren has changed. He follows without a fight, lets Levi take care of him. 

Levi imagines it still isn’t easy. Quiet isn’t something Eren does naturally. It takes him time and effort. So Levi scoots forward, places a hand on Eren’s head so he knows to rest his forehead on Levi’s knee. 

It’s then that Eren’s shoulders start to shake. Levi knows he’s trying to hold back, he can see the way Eren digs his own nails in the skin of his arms. 

“Shh,” Levi says, keeping his voice soft. He runs his fingers through Eren’s hair, holds him in place. “It wasn’t your fault,” Levi says next. 

He knows that will just upset Eren more. And sure enough, Eren starts shaking his head, his breathing more ragged. 

Levi holds him steady with both of his hands. Eren needs to hear this. 

“It wasn’t your fault,” he repeats, stroking Eren’s hair.

Eren’s shoulders shake harder but he doesn’t move otherwise. Levi doesn’t let go of him, and the only noise in the room is the sound of Eren's wet breathing. Eventually, Eren stops hiccuping. He starts taking deeper breaths until he goes limp on Levi’s knee, and Levi holds him through that, too. 

“Good boy,” Levi says again. 

They stay like that for a while until Eren starts shifting on his knees. He doesn’t say anything but Levi knows it’s time to get him up on the bed. Levi nudges Eren’s shoulder, helps him on his feet and lets him lean into him.

Levi settles Eren on the bed and goes to his desk where there’s a pitcher of water, towels and a basin. The water is cold, and Levi regrets that but it’ll have to do. 

He wets a towel, brings it to Eren so he can wipe his face. 

Eren makes a face when Levi places the towel on his forehead but stays quiet as Levi washes the skin. Eren closes his eyes, breathing steady now. 

Levi sets the towel aside to lie down beside Eren. He takes Eren’s hand in his, squeezes once.

“I’m sorry I didn’t come get you,” Levi says.

He feels Eren shaking his head on the pillow next to him. “I wanted to be alone,” Eren replies.

Levi nods. “You can come to me, any time.”

At this, Eren props himself on his elbow so he can look at Levi’s face. 

“I know,” he says, bending down to kiss Levi on the cheek.

Putting a hand on Eren’s hip, Levi rolls them over so he can kiss Eren on the lips. It’s a slow and quiet kiss, nothing that’s meant to go any further. 

Then Levi rolls them over onto their sides so he can properly spoon Eren, smoothing back Eren’s hair and kissing him on the nape. Eren shivers in his arms for a second but Levi tightens his grip on him until Eren relaxes again. It isn’t long before they both start drifting off.


End file.
